Method and apparatus of handling wound skeins

ABSTRACT

In an automatic skein winding machine the method and apparatus for handling of wound skeins after the completion of the winding in order to produce skeins suitable for banderoling. The method comprising the steps of directing the connecting yarn between the skeins ejected from the spindles and the non-ejected skeins to a predetermined locality, positioning a catching device at said locality, separating the connecting yarn at said locality by means of a separating device, catching and fixing after separation the remaining outside yarn end of the ejected skeins by means of said catching device. The apparatus comprising per spindle a separating device having movable members for directing the connecting yarn before the separation to a predetermined locality, the apparatus further comprising a catching device synchroneous to said separating device for catching the yarn end of the ejected skein after the separation, said catching device having members positionable to said locality.

United States Patent Risi et a1.

[ METHOD AND APPARATUS OF HANDLING WOUND SKEINS [75] Inventors: Walter Risi, Frauenfeld; Rudolf Knecht, Kollbrunn, both of Switzerland [73] Assignee: G & W Maschinen AG, Pfaffikon,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Jan. 2, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 429,851

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 3, 1973 Switzerland 12629/73 [52] US. Cl..... 28/21, 28/72 SP, 242/41, 242/164, 242/165 [51] Int. Cl. B65h 67/04 [58] Field of Search 28/21, 72 SP; 242/41, 164, 242/165; 57/52, 54

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,029,020 6/1912 Marazzi 242/165 2,035,721 3/1936 Reiners et a1. 242/41 3,350,032 10/1967 Schewe 242/164 3,423,046 1/1969 Bell 242/164 3,426,408 2/1969 Wheelock 28/21 1 1 Feb. 11,1975

3,656,383 4/1972 Dibble 28/21 X Primary E.\'aminer-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby &

Cushman [57] ABSTRACT In an automatic skein winding machine the method and apparatus for handling of wound skeins after the completion of the winding in order to produce skeins suitable for banderoling. The method comprising the steps of directing the connecting yarn between the skeins ejected from the spindles and the non-ejected skeins to a predetermined locality, positioning a catching device at said locality, separating the connecting yarn at said locality by means of a separating device, catching and fixing after separation the remaining outside yarn end of the ejected skeins by means of said catching device. The apparatus comprising per spindle a separating device having movable members for di recting the connecting yarn before the separation to a predetermined locality, the apparatus further comprising a catching device synchroneous to said separating device for catching the yarn end of the ejected skein after the separation. said catching device having members positionable to said locality.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB] 1 I975 SHEEI 2 OF 3 METHOD AND APPARATUS OF HANDLING WOUND SKEINS This invention relates to skein winding machines. More particularly, this invention concerns method and apparatus for producing consecutively yarn skeins suitable for banderoling.

The skein winding machine hereinafter referred to comprises a number of parallely disposed rotary spindles. This kind of winding machine is known and disclosed e.g., in US. Pat. No. 3,426,408. The yarn is wound upon the vertical spindles by means of yarn supplying members moving periodically up and down along the spindles. A dossing mechanism moves the wound skein axially downwardly upon the spindle and a new skein is wound above the thus dossed skein. When the next dossing cycle takes place, upon moving the second wound skein downwardly to the position occupied by the first wound skein, the first skein is ejected from the spindle by reason ofthe pushing of the second skein. A separating means separates the con necting yarn between the ejected and the non ejected skeins.

The thus produced skeins have two yarn ends. The yarn end of the starting wrap is hanging out from the inside of the skein and will be referred in the following as inner yarn end. During use of the skeins the yarn may be unwound from the skein by this inner yarn end without the necessity of removing the wrapping band enveloping the skein. The second yarn end descending from the terminal wrap is hanging at the outside of the skein and will be referred in the following as outer yarn end. This unfastened outside yarn end has the disadvantage that it tends to loosen the last wraps of the skein so that disadvantageously a number of wraps may be fallen from the skein providing an undesirable long outer yarn end. On the one hand it would be of great advantage if the skeins could fall from the spindles directly down on a transporting band which processes the skeins to an automatic band wrapping or banderoling machine. On the other hand, since the long outer yarn end would disturb the wrapping operation and cause the danger of an entanglement of the yarn in the banderoling machine, the outer yarn end must be fixed in some way after the separation of the yarn connection and before the banderoling. This fixing had been effected in the past by manual operation, e.g., by putting the outer yarn end from hand into the skein, and was the reason therefore that the transporting band could not be advanced straightly to the banderoling machine. The interpolation of this manual operational step represents a great disadvantage in the otherwise quite automatic processing of the production of banderoled skeins.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and particularly automatic method and apparatus for handling wound skeins in order to produce skeins having a fixed outer yarn end.

The general idea of the new method according to the invention is to position a yarn end catching device in close environs of the supposed locality where the separation occurs, catching automatically the outer yarn end of the ejected skein immediately after the separation by means of the catching device and pulling it into the ejected skein. It is essential that the separation occurs at a determinate locality since owing to the knowledge of this locality it is possible to catch there the falling yarn end immediately after the separation. In order to separate the connecting yarn at a predeterminate locality a new separating means is provided.

The new method and apparatus is employed hereinafter to skeins produced in winding machines as described in FIG. 1 comprising vertically disposed spindles, although the method and apparatus may also be adapted for winding machines with at least one spindle in any position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. I represents schematically a front elevational view of a known skein winding machine for which one embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is suitable,

FIGS. 2 to 5 are schematic elevational views of one embodiment of the apparatus showing four consecutive positions of operation.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic cross sections through the separating device in the open and the closed actuated condition showing mechanism of separation.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings reference numeral 1 indicates a plurality of vertically disposed rotating spindles. Each spindle l is driven by a chain and sprocket drive 3 from a motor 2. The yarn is fed to the spindles by a yarn laying mechanism comprising an up and down moving bar 4 and per spindle a yarn feeding means 5 on the bar 4 feeding the yarn to the spindles I by a back and forth motion over the spindles. When a series skeins have been wound a dossing bar 6 is lowered thereby shifting the skeins to the lower position on the spindles. The dossing bar 6 is actuated by hydraulic means 9 operating on the linkage 7, 8.

FIG. 1 shows the situation in which the wound skein I0 is lowered to the spindle end and a second skein 11 is wound after restoration of the dossing bar 6 to the upper position. In order to commence winding of the skein II yarn contact is maintained with skein 10 which is still rotated with the spindle 1. When the next dossing cycle takes place, upon moving the skein I1 downwardly to the position occupied by skein 10, the skein I0 is ejected from the spindle 1 by reason of the tapered end la and skein 11 then occupies the place. FIG. 1 further shows a series of ejected skeins 10a which were discharged from the spindles 1 during the first dossing cycle when the skeins 10 were lowered into the shown position. In order to separate the yarn connection between the ejected skeins 10a and the dossed skeins 10 the known winding machine is provided with a separating mechanism 13.

The thus produced skeins 10a have the aforesaid inner yarn end 14 and the outer yarn end 15. According to the invention skeins shall be produced which have a fixed outer yarn end. For this purpose the separating mechanism 13 must be removed from the winding machine and replaced by the new apparatus which performs the new method.

FIGS. 2 to 7 illustrate one embodiment of the apparatus for the performance of the new method. The apparatus is located below the spindles l and comprises a yarn end catching device shown in various positions in FIGS. 2 to 5 and further a separating device 21 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings reference character 20 indicates the level in which the separation is effected by means of the separating device 21. The separating device 21 has an opened and a closed position. In its opened position the separating device 21 provides an opening 22 at the level 20 vertically below the spindle l. The diameter of the opening 22 has a size such that skeins ejected from the spindle 1 may fall through. The catching device comprises a tube member 27 arranged below the spindle in the direction of the spindle axle, the diameter of the tube member being smaller than the diameter of the skein inside hole. The tube member has an open upper end 27a and a lower end 27b connected to a pipe member 28 leading to a (not illustrated) sucking apparatus, e.g., to an air pump. The tube is further drivingly connected with a driving member schematically shown by part 50. By means of the driving member 50 the tube can be moved vertically into an upper, middle and a lower position. The tube member may also have another but straight cylindrical form and the driving member 50 may move in this case the upper open tube end to the lower end of the spindle. The catching device further comprises a skein stopand supporting-member 23 arranged around the tube 27 below the separating means 21. The member 23 comprises an inclined bottom 24 penetrated by the tube 27, further an upright member 25 and horizontal clamping members 26. The clamping members 26 are of halficircular arched form, their openings showing towards the slope direction of the bottom 24. The skein is retained from falling out of the stop member 23 towards slope direction only if a portion of the tube is located above the bottom 24.

The method of handling wound skeins from the moment of their ejection from at least one spindle until their fall on a transporting band includes several steps which may be summarized into one cycle. In order to control these steps and consecutive cycles, controlling means are provided. As the controlling means are not an object of the invention they are not illustrated and specified. It be solely mentioned that the controlling means may operate on the afore mentioned driving member 50 and on the drives for the sucking apparatus and for the actuating means of the seperating device 21, and that these controlling means are components of the control equipment of the winding machine.

In FIG. 2 the moment before the discharge of the skein is shown. The separating device 21 is in its opened position, and the tube 27 is driven in direction 29 from the lower position through the bottom 24 of the stop member 23 and the opening 22 of the separating device 21 into the upper position. In the upper position of the tube 27 the upper tube end 27a is facing the spindle end 1a while in the lower position the tube end 27a is positioned below the bottom 24.

FIG. 3 illustrates the moment at which by influence of the pushing action of the dossed skein 11 upon the skein 10 the latter is ejected from the spindle. The skein 10 slips upon and slides down the tube 27 until it is stopped by the bottom 24. After the skein 10 occupies the position as dotted in FIG. 3, the tube 27 is lowered into the middle position. The middle position of the tube is characterised in that the upper tube end 27a being positioned below the opening 22 of the separating means 21 and above of the bottom 24 as it is shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 further shows that the stopping member 23 carrying the skein 10 has been lifted a distance 30. This upwards displacement may be due if the connecting yarn between the skeins 10 and 11 is spanned in order to provide a slackening yarn connection. The slack condition of the connecting yarn enables its moving towards any predetermined locality where the separation is to be effected without causing an undesirable untime separation. In the embodiment this locality of separating is the point of intersection of the spindle axle with the level 20 and being indicated by reference numeral 31.

FIG. 4 illustrates the moment of separation of the connecting yarn after the displacement of the tube 27 and the stop member 23 into the aforesaid and illustrated positions. Preceding the actual cutting action the connecting yarn is moved in direction 33 towards the preferred locality of separation 31 by means of the members 40, 41, 42 of the separating device 21. The cutting action and the members 40, 41, 42 will be specified further down. It is essential that during the separation action the tube end 27a is positioned closely by the locality of separation 31. In the embodiment this position of the tube is settled automatically when the tube 27 is lowered as described from the upper position into the middle position. In general, however, for embodiments employing other separating devices and tube members, the main idea of the invention is to position a yarn end catching device which preferably comprises a sucking member in close environs of the supposed locality where the separation occurs.

After the connecting yarn has been moved to the locality 31, it is separated. In the embodiment the separation is effected by knives which are fastened at the members and 41. Resulting are the two aforesaid yarn ends 14 and 15, and object of the invention is to catch the yarn end 15 being about to fall downwardly and to pull it into the skein. For this purpose the aforesaid sucking device, i.e., an air pump, provides an air current 34in the tube 27. Owing to the position of the tube end 270 close by the locality of separation 31, the air current 34 catches the falling yarn end 15 and pulls it into the tube 27 in the position 15a. The sucking device is preferably part of the pneumatic equipment of the winding machine. After the yarn end 15 is disposed within the tube 27, the tube is pulled out from the skein by moving it downwardly into the aforesaid lower position.

During the downwards movement of the tube 27, the air current 34 is maintained as long as the outer yarn end 15 is completely disposed within the skein 10. FIG. 5 illustrates the moment when the tube 27 passes the inclined bottom 24. Because of the aforesaid openings of the clamping members 26, the skein 10 is not any longer supported by the stop member 23 and is falling in direction of the inclination downwardly, preferably on a transporting band 12. The thus produced skeins have now both yarn ends 14, 15 disposed within the skein l0 and have not the mentioned disadvantages.

ln FIGS. 6 and 7 a preferred embodiment of the separating device 21 is illustrated. The separating device 21 comprises three revolving arched members 40, 41 and 42 having an arc length of about The arched members 40, 41 and 42 are arranged in the level 20 and enclose the aforesaid opening 22 through which the connecting yarn passes. Middle portions of the concave edges of the members 40, 41 are formed as knives 40a, 41a, while the edge portions adjoining the knives 40a, 41a, are blunt. Consequently the yarn is only separated if it passes the point of intersection of both knives 40a, 41a. The member 42 is formed with a longitudinal guide slit 51 penetratable by the members 40, 41 during actuation. The width of the guide slit 51 is designed for a satisfying pressure of the knives 40a, 41a in the moment of separation. Preferably plate spring means 49 are provided in the guide slit 5] to press the knives 40a, 41a together guaranteeing a safe separating.

FIG. 6 illustrates the separating device 21 in its nonactuated open position. The members 40, 41, 42 ranged together form the periphery ofa circle, the center being the aforesaid locality of separation 31. A corresponding end of each member 40, 4], 42 is formed with an outwardly projecting extension 44 providing a sickle-shaped look of the members. The members 40, 41, 42 are rotatably attached with their extensions 44 by means of the bolts 45 to a stationary part of the winding machine. The separating device 21 further comprises an actuating ring 47 which is rotatable in direction 46. The ends of the extensions 44 are suspended at the actuating ring 47 by means of the movable connecting members 48. For separating actuation, a drive rotates the actuating ring 47 in direction 46 thereby turning the members 40, 41, 42 inwardly and narrowing the opening 22. Through that the connecting yarn is moved before the separation towards the locality 31. FIG. 7 illustrates the almost closed position of the separating means immediately before the separation. Although the embodied separating means has proved a success in the practical use, any suitable separating means which separates the connecting yarn at a predetermined locality may be employed.

What we claim is:

1. In an automatic skein winding machine comprising multiple parallely disposed rotating spindles the method of automatically handling of wound skeins after the completion of the winding, comprising the steps of a. directing the connecting yarn between the skeins ejected from the spindles and the non-ejected skeins to a predetermined locality,

b. positioning a catching device at said locality,

c. separating the connecting yarn at said locality by means of a separating device,

d. catching and fixing after separation the remaining outside yarn end of the ejected skeins by means of said catching device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said outside yarn end is pulled into said ejected skeins.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said directing is effected by means of movable members of said separating device.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said catching is effected by means of an air flow.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein movable members of said separating device direct the connecting yarn to said locality, sucking members of said catching device are positioned at said locality, an air flow provided by said sucking means is directed to said locality, said air flow catching said yarn end and pulling it into the ejected skein.

6. The method according to claim 1 for vertically disposed spindles comprising per spindle the consecutive automatically controlled steps of:

a. driving a tubular sucking member of said catching device upwards through an opening between movable arched members of said separating device to the lower spindle end;

b. ejecting the skein from said spindle, the skein slipping on and sliding down said sucking member to a stop member;

c. lowering said sucking member below said opening in close environs of said locality;

d. raising said stop member a distance;

e. directing said connecting yarn to said locality by means of said arched members;

f. separating the connecting yarn by closing said opening by actuation of said arched members;

g. catching said falling outside yarn end by means of an air flow generated in said sucking member and pulling it into the ejected skein;

h. drawing said sucking member out from said ejected skein leaving the outer yarn end within the skein.

7. In an automatic skein winding machine comprising parallely disposed rotating spindles an apparatus for automatic simultaneous handling of a series of skeins after the winding, said apparatus comprising per spindle a separating device for separating the connecting yarn between the skein ejected from the spindle and the non-ejected skein, said separating device having movable members for directing the connecting yarn before the separation to a predetermined locality, the apparatus further comprising a catching device synchroneous to said separating device for catching the yarn end of the ejected skein after the separation, said catching device having members positionable to said locality.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said members for directing the connecting yarn are movable arched members of said separating device, the arched members enclosing a variable opening and the yarn passing through said opening, said separating device further comprising actuating means to actuate the arched members for narrowing said opening and directing said connecting yarn to said positon.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said positionable members of said catching device are sucking members comprising a tube member, means for connecting one tube end to an air pump, and a tube drive in order to move the other tube end to and from said locality.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said members for directing the connecting yarn are 3 movable arched members of length, said members being horizontally arranged below the spindle forming a circular variable opening surrounding the connecting yarn, corresponding one ends of said members being revolvingly fastened to a stationary part of said apparatus, each said ends being provided with a radial extension fastened to an actuating ring connected with a driving mechanism so if rotating the actuating ring said arched members will revolve around said ends and narrowing said opening into closed position, thereby directing said connecting yarn to said locality situated on the extension of the spindle axle, a portion of the inner circumference of two members being formed with a knife edge, said knife edges overlapping during said closed position thereby cutting the connecting yarn, the third member having a slit for guiding the other members during actuation and spring blades for pressing the knife members together during actuation;

said catching device comprising sucking members comprising a tube disposed along the extension of the spindle axle, the diameter of the tube being smaller than the diameter of the hole of the skein, the lower end of the tube being connected to an air pump, said catching device further comprising a said apparatus further comprising controlling means providing a synchroneous drive of said separating driving mechanismn, of said tube driving member and of said air pump in respect to the drive of the ejecting mechanism of the winding machine, so that during said upper position of the tube the ejected skein slips over the tube and slides down to said stop member, during said middle position the connecting yarn is separated and the yarn end of the ejected skein is pulled by means of an air flow provided by said air pump into the tube, and during said lower position the tube is pulled out from the skein leaving said yarn end inside the hole of the skein and the skein falling from said bottom. 

1. In an automatic skein winding machine comprising multiple parallely disposed rotating spindles the method of automatically handling of wound skeins after the completion of the winding, comprising the steps of a. directing the connecting yarn between the skeins ejected from the spindles and the non-ejected skeins to a predetermined locality, b. positioning a catching device at said locality, c. separating the connecting yarn at said locality by means of a separating device, d. catching and fixing after separation the remaining outside yarn end of the ejected skeins by means of said catching device.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said outside yarn end is pulled into said ejected skeins.
 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said directing is effected by means of movable members of said separating device.
 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said catching is effected by means of an air flow.
 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein movable members of said separating device direct the connecting yarn to said locality, sucking members of said catching device are positioned at said locality, an air flow provided by said sucking means is directed to said locality, said air flow catching said yarn end and pulling it into the ejected skein.
 6. The method according to claim 1 for vertically disposed spindles comprising per spindle the consecutive automatically controlled steps of: a. driving a tubular sucking member of said catching device upwards through an opening between movable arched members of said separating device to the lower spindle end; b. ejecting the skein from said spindle, the skein slipping on and sliding down said sucking member to a stop member; c. lowering said sucking member below said opening in close environs of said locality; d. raising said stop member a distance; e. directing said connecting yarn to said locality by means of said arched members; f. separating the connecting yarn by closing said opening by actuation of said arched members; g. catching said falling outside yarn end by means of an air flow generated in said sucking member and pulling it into the ejected skein; h. drawing said sucking member out from said ejected skein leaving the outer yarn end within the skein.
 7. In an automatic skein winding machine comprising parallely disposed rotating spindles an apparatus for automatic simultaneous handling of a series of skeins after the winding, said apparatus comprising per spindle a separating device for separating the connecting yarn between the skein ejected from the spindle and the non-ejected skein, said separating device having movable members for directing the connecting yarn before the separation to a predetermined locality, the apparatus further comprising a catching device synchroneous to said separating device for catching the yarn end of the ejected skein after the separation, saId catching device having members positionable to said locality.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said members for directing the connecting yarn are movable arched members of said separating device, the arched members enclosing a variable opening and the yarn passing through said opening, said separating device further comprising actuating means to actuate the arched members for narrowing said opening and directing said connecting yarn to said positon.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said positionable members of said catching device are sucking members comprising a tube member, means for connecting one tube end to an air pump, and a tube drive in order to move the other tube end to and from said locality.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said members for directing the connecting yarn are 3 movable arched members of 120* length, said members being horizontally arranged below the spindle forming a circular variable opening surrounding the connecting yarn, corresponding one ends of said members being revolvingly fastened to a stationary part of said apparatus, each said ends being provided with a radial extension fastened to an actuating ring connected with a driving mechanism so if rotating the actuating ring said arched members will revolve around said ends and narrowing said opening into closed position, thereby directing said connecting yarn to said locality situated on the extension of the spindle axle, a portion of the inner circumference of two members being formed with a knife edge, said knife edges overlapping during said closed position thereby cutting the connecting yarn, the third member having a slit for guiding the other members during actuation and spring blades for pressing the knife members together during actuation; said catching device comprising sucking members comprising a tube disposed along the extension of the spindle axle, the diameter of the tube being smaller than the diameter of the hole of the skein, the lower end of the tube being connected to an air pump, said catching device further comprising a driving member for moving said tube vertically into an upper, middle and lower position, in said upper position the upper tube end facing the lower spindle end, in said middle position the upper tube end being below said opening of said separating device and in said lower position the upper tube end being below a stop member, said stop member comprising clamping means for the skeins and a bottom, the tube passing through said bottom; said apparatus further comprising controlling means providing a synchroneous drive of said separating driving mechanismn, of said tube driving member and of said air pump in respect to the drive of the ejecting mechanism of the winding machine, so that during said upper position of the tube the ejected skein slips over the tube and slides down to said stop member, during said middle position the connecting yarn is separated and the yarn end of the ejected skein is pulled by means of an air flow provided by said air pump into the tube, and during said lower position the tube is pulled out from the skein leaving said yarn end inside the hole of the skein and the skein falling from said bottom. 